Mile
Zero

November 9, 2005

So... slow month, huh? Sorry about that. But I've got a few good excuses for the cobwebs in the corners around here. The results of a lot of work are really starting to pay off:

France! Tomorrow I'll get on a plane and fly to Paris for a two-week vacation. Preparations have taken some time, especially since I've never been to Europe or speak much French. Traveling to a country where neither my Spanish, nor my Mandarin, nor my Arabic (such as it is) will do me any good: how do I let Belle talk me into these things? I may put up some travelogues if I get the time, and I may not if I'm just having too much fun. Basically, check back in November when regular daily updates will resume.

WILL WRITE FOR FOOD. Speaking of November, my interviews about a month back paid off. Effective next month, I'll be writing and helping with production for the Bank's Internet broadcasting initiative, B-SPAN. Trivial and/or non-job threatening World Bank commentary will therefore continue to be a regular feature. It's a win-win situation for us all.

Continue? 9 Next week's Escapist (Issue #15) will, unless something changes, include my article on gaming, hip-hop, and race. It's titled Guns, Gangs, and Greed: Gaming's Hip-Hop Diversity Gap. I'll try to put up a comment post for discussion if I get a chance. I want to thank Belle, Corvus, and Cindika for their help in editing--something every writer needs, whether they admit it or not. Any mistakes inside are still mine, but the article is exponentially better for their input.

Those who are about to rock... Don't forget, if you're a reader in the DC local area: my Four String Riot solo project will be playing at Stacy's on October 28th. It'll be like an experiment in the effects of jet lag and two weeks away from the instrument/looping combo. I often joke that my shows are meant as a Spectacle teetering on the brink of collapse, and that'll certainly be the case at Stacy's. Come for the suspense, stay for the miraculous recovery of ROCK. Lately I've felt that performances have been a little dull--hopefully this will be the shot of nervous energy I've needed.

Au revoir, kids! See you for sure in November! Until then, stay safe, look both ways before you cross the street, and remember: there's "a rat" in "separate." That one gets me every time.